Chapter 2


    CHRISTINE


    I’ve been a wedding nner for a long time. I’m the best in the game and I’m not about to let a young


    upstart challenge for my crown. There’s one person who Ie up against more and more and it’s her.


    Vi. I’ve lost a lot of business to her. I’m still doing great numbers and growing but I could grow so


    much faster if she wasn’t fishing in my pond.


    Who the hell does she think she is? I know this business inside out. There isn’t that much to it when


    you’re an expert. It’s easy to pinpoint the weak points in any wedding nner’s business. Hell, they’re


    the same weak spots as mine and that makes it even easier to take her down. Her assistant didn’t want


    to take my offer but that’s okay. It’s just one point of attack.


    When I’m finished, they’ll both be crawling to me.


    I look at the brochure I took from their booth and start to formte my n of attack. I boot up my


    laptop and am soon on Vi’s website looking for the information I need. I can’t find what I’m looking


    for so I try another angle. I go to the gallery and testimonials.


    Bingo! I make notes of the information I am looking for and then close the site.


    I pick up the phone and dial Vi’s office number.


    The phone is answered promptly.


    “Hi, this is Mrs. Anderson.”


    “Yes, Mrs. Anderson. How can I help you? This is Jessica.”


    The assistant. “We’re having a party soon for Mr. Anderson’s office and he asked me about the band


    that we had at the wedding. I thought I’d give you a call and find out if I could contact them to see if


    they’re avable. Would it be possible to give me their number?”


    “Sure, Mrs. Anderson. I’d be only too happy to. Hold on while I get the details.”


    I wait a few moments and then Jessicaes on the line again. “Here you go, Mrs. Anderson.”


    She gives me the contact name and number for Steve from the band called ‘stered’. I thank her and


    hang up.


    I smile and mentally congratte myself. It’s that easy.


    When Steve answers the phone I arrange to meet him to discuss hiring the band for a party.


    Steve is already waiting when I enter the coffee shop. He recognizes me from the clothes I told him I’d


    be wearing and waves to me. I cross to the booth and slide in opposite him. I feel his eyes appraise me


    as I sit down. I’ve worn a short skirt and a tight, white cotton blouse that entuates my breasts. It’s


    unbuttoned just far enough to reveal a glimpse of my bra which is visible through the soft material of


    the blouse anyway. I shake Steve’s hand.


    “How can I help you?” Steve asks.


    “I have a confession, Steve,” I reply conspiratorially.


    “What’s that?” Steve asks, intrigued.


    “Well, when I said I need a band for a party, I wasn’t being totally honest. I’d like your band to y for


    all my parties unless my clients insist otherwise.”


    “All your parties?” Steve frowns. “I don’t understand.”


    “I’m a wedding nner, just like Vi who you work with regrly.”


    Steve nods as the penny drops. “Well, you know we go back a long way. I mean I’d be happy to


    support you when you have a wedding if we don’t have a wedding booked with Vi.”


    I smile and shake my head. “I thought you’d say that Steve but I have to say I’m looking for a reversal


    of that proposed arrangement. You y all my weddings and fit her in where you can. I’ll pay you one


    and a half times what she pays you per wedding.”


    Steve looks at me and says nothing. I can tell his mind is working overtime and I can tell where it’s


    headed so I cut it off.


    “This is a one-time deal. Right here, right now. There’s no going to Vi and bargaining with her. I’m


    not into horse-trading.”


    “Well, what about if I call the band and discuss it with them?” Steve asks.


    “Why would they care? A gig’s a gig. Doesn’t matter who you y for or where you y. Right?”


    Steve sighs. He’s tempted but his loyalty is still to Vi. “When’s the first gig?”


    ‘Saturday.”


    “Saturday? That’s two days away!”


    “And?”


    “We’re booked for a wedding with Vi. We can’t just drop her at such short notice. It’s not ethical.”


    “Look,” I say hardening my tone. “You guys have a good name out there. It’s why I came to you first.


    But you’re not the only band. I’ll say this too, and I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging but when it


    comes to wedding nners, I. Am. The. Best. So, you can decide if you’re going to be loyal to number


    two or three or whatever the hell Vi is, or you cane along with me. Sess breeds sess.


    You know that as well as I do.”


    Steve ponders my words. I can tell he’s not happy. Then he shakes his head. “We can start next week.


    Not this weekend. I just can’t do that to Vi or her client.”


    I look at Steve. He’s serious. “Well, I guess I’ll have to find another band then,” I say and begin to


    gather my things to leave.


    “No deal?” Steve asks.


    “I offered you a deal,” I say firmly.


    “A deal’s only a deal where both parties are happy”


    I pause. “And what wouldn’t make you happy about the deal? One weekend? One weekend when you


    could be earning one and a half times what you get now every weekend from now on?”


    “You know, I think this isn’t so much as our band being paid more as it is a personal issue between you


    and Vi. Am I right? Because if that’s the case, the band isn’t going to make a difference. If you don’t


    have what she offers she’s always going to be one ahead of you…”


    “…and pray tell me, Steve, what does she have that I don’t have?”


    “Aside from the band, she’s got a great assistant…”


    “…got one,” I say.


    “…rapport with clients…”


    “Got it,” I add.


    “…Wedding Whisperer…”


    “A what?” I ask frowning.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Steve smiles. “See. You’re not close to what she offers.”


    I ignore his remark. “What is a Wedding Whisperer?”


    “A person who encourages the bride or groom to work through their fear of getting married at thest


    minute. You know, ‘cold feet’?” He makes invertedmas in the air with his fingers.


    I sit back. “Oh, that! Who doesn’t have that?” I lie. “I just don’t call it that.”


    “Well, I have to be going. It’s been a pleasure to meet you but I guess we won’t be doing business,”


    Steve says.


    “Well, remember I did try to help.”


    “Thank you for that,” Steve says as I stand. He stands too and we shake hands. I leave the coffee shop


    and he sits down again and takes out his cellphone. I know he’s going to try to horse trade anyway.


    Maybe I’ll let him do it. I’ll see how I feelter. Right now, I’m more interested in the ‘wedding whisperer’


    concept that he mentioned to me.


    I think of the cancetions I’ve had when the wedding has been about to kick off in church. Not many


    but it happens. It’s ingenious and I’m even more adamant to shut Vi’s business down than


    before.